A Love That Will Last
by bklue18
Summary: Everyone knows him as the monstrous boy from District 2 that lunged forward to volunteer. But, what if him volunteering was for a reason nobody knew?
1. Unwanted Attention

It was the third time she had caught him watching her in the cafeteria. Being a quiet girl, she didn't have many friends. In fact, she only had one friend that went by the name, Clove. Feeling his eyes follow her every move, she shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she waited for her friend to join her. Being born and raised in District 2, she was different from most of the kids. She wasn't physically well-built nor was she cunning like most of the kids. This was a trait she saw within all the kids in District 2. They were always so ready to join The Hunger Games. Her parents always worried she would be next but judging from how well District 2 was treated… Most of the kids often volunteered themselves as a form of gratitude to how well the Capitol has treated them.

Clove finally made her way over to the table and sat down next to her.

"Jas… You haven't touched your food." Clove said

Jasmine looked at her plate and there sat a ham and egg tart, untouched. She managed a small smile before lifting her fork to cut into the tart to take a bite. She wasn't really feeling hungry after she found out that he was watching her. They were always in the same classes but she always sat at the back of the class to avoid being called upon while he sat in the front, always confident in everything he does. Everyone in school knew who he is and most feared him. She never learnt his name even though almost the whole school and nearly everyone in District 2 knew of his existence. That would probably be one of Jasmine's traits. Blending in the background.

"Jas… Are you okay? You don't seem like yourself today." Clove said

Jasmine looked at Clove and mustered her most convincing smile, "I'm okay… I think it's because of my mother's sandwich this morning."

Clove looked at her suspiciously but still nodded, not wanting to doubt her friend. She tried to take another bite of the tart before giving up on eating it. As soon as the bell rang again, school was over.

"Clove? I've got to head back home first. I'll see you tomorrow?" Jasmine said

Clove nodded and waved at Jasmine just as she stood up from the table to leave. She walked the hallways quickly, not wanting to feel the gaze of that well-built blond boy. Once outside of school, Jasmine sighed and turned left from the school to make her way back home. Like most of the other parents in District 2, Jasmine's father works at a weapons-making factory and her mother stayed home.

Jasmine was just 2 houses away from home when she suddenly felt like she was followed. Not wanting to turn around, she quickened her steps, breaking into a run. She was picking up pace until she tripped over a rock that she didn't notice. She fell forward and twisted her left ankle in the process.

"Ow!" Jasmine exclaimed

Jasmine was feeling her left ankle and wanted to assess the damage when a pair of hands scooped her off the ground with much ease. She closed her eyes not wanting to know who the person was. Many speculations clouded her brain, but only one stood out. She felt herself moving which only made her shut her eyes tighter. When the person finally stopped, Jasmine thought this was it but a warm voice she knew so well came through Jasmine's self-induced darkness.

"Jasmine! What happened?"

This time, Jasmine opened her eyes to find herself sitting on the chair in her kitchen and her mother squatting in front of her so that they were at the same eye level.

"Honey? Are you okay? Do you hear me?" Her mother asked, worriedly.

Jasmine blinked a little as her mother started to fuss over her. She eventually spotted the now swollen ankle and gasped.

"I'm fine." Jasmine said  
"No, you're not. How did you get this?" Her mother asked  
"I fell." Jasmine replied

Her mother stood up and said, "I've always told you to watch where you're going. Your father will hit the roof if he knew what happened to his little girl."

"Please don't tell dad." Jasmine said  
"I won't but the bandage will." Her mother said

She turned to walk out to the living room and Jasmine heard her speak, which must be to whoever brought her here.

"Cato dear, thank you for bringing Jasmine back. She wouldn't have made it home without you. Could you go in and make sure she stays still while I go get the medical kit?" Her mother said  
"Sure." Cato said

Cato. She's heard his name before. Usually when she's in the market and some kids were gathered talking about him. Truth be told, Jasmine had always wondered if she could put a face to that name and her wish came true when he walked into the kitchen. Upon seeing that the face was the guy who had been watching her in school, Jasmine's eyes widened a little in shock before she tried to busy herself so that he won't talk to her. Unfortunately for her, that wasn't going to work.

He sat down opposite her and looked at her, "You like falling over, don't you?"

Jasmine kept her eyes on the fruit bowl in the center of the table and focused on the apple when he bumped his fist on the table lightly but loud enough for her to jump and look at him.

"Got your attention now." Cato said

Even though he had gotten her attention, Jasmine couldn't find her voice. Looking at him, she was both scared and surprised at how good-looking and well-built he was. Realizing at how intensely he was staring at her, all elements of surprise disappeared to make way for more fright.

"You don't speak much, huh?" He said  
"N-No... I do speak." Jasmine said, softly

Cato smirked, "Not when I watch you."

He moved his chair nearer to her so that their knees bumped each other. Jasmine tried to move her chair further back but his long leg hooked the right leg of her chair, making it unable for her to do so. Jasmine closed her eyes for a millisecond and opened them again to see Cato's face close to hers. She nearly fell off her chair as her attempt of a quick reflex failed her. Lucky or unlucky for her, Cato's hand made a quick grasp for her hand and she was saved the misery of falling on her butt.

"What is this?"

The two of them looked up to see Jasmine's mother looking at them with an eyebrow raised. Not even breaking a sweat at the situation they were caught in, Cato merely smiled at Jasmine before setting her hand gently on her lap.

"You better be careful. Don't want you falling again." Cato said  
"Oh! Jasmine! Thank goodness Cato's here. Just leaving you here for 5 minutes is good enough to create another accident with you!" Her mother said

Cato smiled and stood up, turning to face Jasmine's mother, "It's not a problem, Mrs Lykerson."

"I really shouldn't have kept you here from your practice sessions. I'll explain to your mother later." Jasmine's mother said  
"Thank you but it's my choice to stay here with Jasmine. She could have gotten more injuries and I wouldn't want that to happen to her." Cato said

Jasmine looked down at her feet and kept her gaze there to avoid any glances from Cato. He was really starting to scare and annoy her at the same time.

"Would you like to stay for dinner?" Her mother asked

Jasmine looked at her mother and then at Cato, hoping that his answer wasn't what she didn't want to hear. Cato smirked at her before turning to her mother with an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry, Mrs Lykerson. I'm a little behind in my training and should get going. I do hope that you will invite me over again to try your cooking." Cato said

Jasmine's mother smiled, "Of course! Anytime you're free, just follow Jasmine home and I'll prepare a splendid dinner for you."

Cato smiled and nodded, "I look forward to that day."

Her mother smiled happily as she walked Cato to the door. He turned around to look at Jasmine before saying 'good-bye' to her mother, and turned to walk away from Jasmine's house.


	2. Intrigue Or More?

Later that night, at the dinner table, her mother had prepared the Capitol's beef stew with hot grain. Remembering what happened just a few hours ago, Jasmine couldn't find her appetite. She pushed the food around on her plate, barely taking a bite. Her father noticed this and lightly touched her head.

"Why aren't you eating, sweetheart?" Her father asked

Jasmine looked at her father and gave him a small smile, "Still finding my appetite…"

"Is it your ankle?" Her mother asked, worriedly.

She looked at her mother who immediately covered her mouth, knowing she let slip about Jasmine's injury. They were covering it very well when her father came home as she was always sitting down.

"Ankle? What happened to your ankle?" Her father asked, looking at her.  
"I… I fell." Jasmine replied

Her father put his spoon down and turned to look at her, "How many times have I told you to watch where you were going?"

"Dad… That was just one time that I fell and broke my arm. I'm bigger now. Besides, it's just a sprain." Jasmine said, "I'll be fine after a few days."

"Honey… You're different from the other kids. Your father and I are worried about you. We don't want anything to happen to you." Her mother said  
"I know… Don't worry. I can take care of myself." Jasmine said

"Can you? Jasmine… The Hunger Games are nearing… You may have scraped past the 4 years but who's to say you're lucky this time? I'm afraid that you'll get picked this year and you…"

Her mother started to tear up, making her unable to continue her sentence. Her father reached over and held her as she started to cry on his shoulder. Feeling responsible for turning this situation into a sob fest, Jasmine got up from her seat and slowly limped towards the front door.

"Sweetheart, where are you going?" Her father asked

Jasmine turned around, "I'm going out for a walk. To aid my digestion. If I can't eat dinner, I can eat the pink lemonade masquerade cake that mom baked, right?"

Her father knew how horrible Jasmine must feel; to be different from the other kids but he didn't raise her to follow the crowd. In fact, he never expected her to be like them. He loved the way she turned out. When other kids were learning how to combat, she was sitting in the library, reading books. When everyone sat down to watch the annual Hunger Games, she played on the swings her father built for her.

The year she turned 12, was the year everything became a reality to her. Jasmine finally knew what the Hunger Games was like and how she barely survived the reaping. It wasn't easy for her because she knew the huge disadvantage she had if she were ever called out. Because of this, Jasmine never wanted her parents to know how scared and negative she was about the games. She always put on a positive front for them to see so that they wouldn't worry about her. But now, Jasmine could feel the walls crumbling, little by little, revealing the scared girl she was hiding.

She limped out of her house and towards the swing set, which was now a broken one, after the Peacekeepers saw it and warned her father before destroying it. It was set next to the tall, big tree and she remembered the first time she played with it, she'd always try to see if she could reach the tree branch.

Jasmine sat down and looked at the other houses that lit up the street. She pulled her knees close to her chest as she thought about her future in District 2. Was she going to be the next tribute at the Hunger Games? Or was she going to live the rest of the year in fear before the next reaping?

"What am I going to do?" Jasmine asked out loud.

"Depends on what's the root of the problem."

She looked up just in time to see Cato leap down to the ground from the long branch up in the tree. He looked at her and once again, his intimidation seeped through Jasmine, making her stand up quickly so that he wouldn't seem to have an edge over her.

"W-Were you up there for a long time?" Jasmine asked  
"Long enough to see you come out here and talk to yourself." Cato replied  
"I wasn't talking to myself. I was just asking myself a question… out loud." Jasmine said

Cato moved closer to her, "And you weren't expecting an answer, right?"

Jasmine stepped back with her good foot and said, "No…"

He smirked and moved closer to her again, "So why did you ask your question out loud?"

"Because I thought I was alone." Jasmine said

Cato moved another inch closer, so much so, that they were now face-to-face.

"And yet, you're not." Cato said

Jasmine wanted to step back again, but her legs felt rooted to the spot.

"What do you want?" Jasmine asked  
"You." Cato replied

As soon as the word left Cato's lips, Jasmine's fight-or-flight mode came into action. She pushed Cato away from her as hard as she could and he landed on the ground with a thud. She quickly turned around to limp quickly back into her house, not looking back to see if Cato was alright. Her parents looked at her from the kitchen and she merely managed a convincing smile before limping towards her room. Once she closed the door to her room, she sat down on her bed to calm herself.

Feeling slightly better, Jasmine stood up to cross the room to get a book to read. As she walked pass her window, she felt someone watching her from the house opposite. She turned to look and saw Cato standing at the window. It was then that she realized that Cato was living just across from her house. No wonder her mother and Cato were so chummy. Even though Jasmine couldn't see Cato's face clearly, she could feel the intensity of his gaze. Jasmine quickly looked away as she reached for her book, pretending not to see him. With her book in hand, she slowly moved back to her bed. She heaved a sigh of relief as she was now out from his view. Not wanting to let Cato ruin her night, Jasmine shrugged and opened her book; happy to plunge into a world that was different from hers.


	3. Out With The Confession

The next morning, Jasmine woke up in the morning to the smell of her mother's home-made apple pie. She lifted her bed covers off her to take a look at her ankle. Removing the bandage, she saw it was less swollen than the night before. She got out of bed and went to wash up before walking slowly down the stairs to head into the kitchen.

Her father looked up from his newspaper and smiled, "Morning sweetheart. Are you okay?"

Jasmine nodded, "Why wouldn't I be?"

Her mother took out the apple pie from the oven and set it in the middle of the table.

"Because of me. I'm such a horrid mother. I shouldn't have said those things to you. I'm so sorry, honey…" Her mother said, embracing Jasmine.

Jasmine didn't say anything in return but just hugged her mother back.

"Alright, alright. Let's make it a point to never talk about the Hunger Games in this house anymore. I love my family the way they are and I don't need any of you to change to fit in with this district." Her father said

Jasmine and her mother both smiled at her father before he came to join them in a group hug. After breakfast, her father had to head off to his job at the stone quarry and her mother wanted to go get some food supplies from the market. So, Jasmine decided to head to the lake to clear her head of all the thoughts on the Hunger Games.

She found a shady spot under the tree and sat down with a book she brought from home. Jasmine opened to the page she stopped at and was about to read when she saw a shadow appear on the ground. She looked up to see Cato standing there.

"So, someone gave me quite a shove last night." Cato said

Jasmine kept quiet, remembering what Cato had said last night that made her push him in the first place.

"I meant what I said last night." Cato said, "And I would repeat it if you want me to."

"Why are you doing this? I am not the prettiest girl in school nor am I the toughest so why are you saying this to me? Why me?" Jasmine said, not wanting Cato to disturb her anymore.

"Because I love you. I always have. Ever since I saw you through the window when I was 8, you were all I thought about. When everyone became uptight during the week of the reaping, you were off reading books, being in your own world… You were untouched by the Hunger Games and the feeling it gave people. And that started to make me fall for you. Your innocence, your positivity… Everything about you stood out to me." Cato said

Jasmine looked into Cato's eyes and didn't see the usual intensity and intimidation anymore. This time, it showed a vulnerable and loving side to him. She didn't know what to say. She definitely wasn't expecting this sort of confession from him and she didn't know how to react. So, she stood up and quickly walked away from him; the only thing she could think of. But, since she still hadn't recovered from her injury, Cato managed to catch up with her, holding onto her wrist to stop her from walking further.

"Why are you walking away?" Cato asked

Jasmine turned around and said, "Because I don't know what to say! It's not until yesterday that I finally knew who you are. Now, you suddenly tell me that you love me? How am I suppose to react to that? Before yesterday, you were a complete stranger to me. How am I suppose to have the same feelings you have for me?"

Cato didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say. She was right. All he ever did in school was watch her from afar. It wasn't until yesterday that he slipped up and she had caught him watching her. He slowly released her wrist from his grip. Cato knew that it was no use keeping her there if she didn't feel the same way.

Jasmine was surprised he let her wrist go. She would have expected him to either force her to stay there with him and tried to force her to love him back. Thinking that he might suddenly do something much worse, Jasmine hurriedly walked away, as fast as her legs could carry her. When she was at a safe distance, she turned around to see Cato still standing there, staring at the ground. Jasmine felt her heart sink a little. She felt bad for leaving him there after he seemingly poured his feelings out to her. Truth be told, Cato isn't a bad guy. He's good-looking, tall, has a strong-built and is vastly skilled in combat as well as with a sword. Shaking her thoughts from her head, Jasmine continued on her path, not wanting to get swayed by her heart.


	4. You Matter To Me

That night, after dessert, a frantic knock was heard coming from Jasmine's front door. Her mother got up from her seat and rushed to the door as the knocks became much louder. She opened the door and standing there was a blond hair lady that was about 40 years old, who bore a resemblance to Cato.

"Jazline, have you seen Cato?" She asked

Her mother stepped back a little and said, "I haven't seen him today… What's wrong?"

"He hasn't been home since this morning. I've asked all of his friends but they all said they haven't seen him. I saw his journal in his room and he wrote a fair bit about Jasmine so I thought he would be here. Has Jasmine seen him today?" Cato's mother asked

Jasmine's mother turned around to look at her and signaled for her to come over. Jasmine got up from her seat as did her father and the two of them walked over to the front door.

"Jasmine… Did you see Cato today?" Her mother asked

She was about to say 'yes' but something inside her told her not to.

"No… I haven't seen Cato since yesterday." Jasmine replied

Her mother looked at Cato's mother and said, "I'm sorry, Catherine… Maybe he's out practicing. I'm sure he'll be back in the morning."

Cato's mother merely nodded and said, "I hope so. Thank you anyway."

Her mother nodded and closed the door as soon as Cato's mother had turned around.

"I hope Cato comes back by morning… If not, Catherine's going to have all the peacekeepers out looking for him." Her mother said

Her father nodded and looked at Jasmine, "You okay, sweetheart?"

Jasmine nodded, "Yup. I'm good. I'll just go to bed now. It's getting pretty late."

Her parents nodded and she gave them each a peck on the cheek before heading up the stairs to her room. Instead of sleeping, Jasmine sat on her bed and waited for her parents to go to sleep. As soon as she heard their room door close, she crept out of her room quietly and descended the stairs, praying that none of it would creak. As soon as she cleared the stairs, she headed for the front door. Opening the door, Jasmine slowly closed it behind her as she got out of the house.

She looked out at the street and realized that she now had to rely on the street lights. Jasmine didn't know what prompted her to come out this late in the night but something within her told her to look for Cato. She thought about the possible places where he would be at but knowing so little about him, she was at a loss. Just then, she remembered something Clove said.

"_Jas… You should really learn some combat from me. You can come along with me to the woods outside of District 2. Cato does his practices there too!"_

The woods outside of District 2. That's where he'll be. Since it wasn't a very far distance from where she stayed, Jasmine walked as fast as she could towards the woods. Upon reaching, she was grateful for the moonlight that now acted as her source of light. She walked slowly and carefully into the woods, navigating her way over logs and trees until she heard the sound of a sword swishing. She quickly made her way into the clearing but no one was there. She turned around to look at the tree trunk behind her to see deep cuts on its bark.

"Who are you?"

Jasmine turned around to see a sword being held at arm's length from the person, who was standing in the shadow, aimed at her.

"Cato?"

As soon as his name left Jasmine's lips, he lowered his sword and stood in the moonlight.

"What are you doing here?" Cato asked  
"I-Your mother came to my house to look for you. She's worried about you." Jasmine replied  
"That doesn't answer my question." Cato said, coming closer to her.  
"My mother told me she'd activate the peacekeepers if you didn't come back." Jasmine said  
"That still doesn't answer my question." Cato said

Jasmine held back her breath as Cato now stood extremely close to her.

"Why are you here?" Cato asked

"I-I don't know. I just…"

Before Jasmine could finish her sentence, her left leg gave way and she was about to fall onto the ground when Cato caught her. He helped her over to a fallen log and sat her down. He sat down next to her and lifted her left leg onto his lap.

"W-What are you doing?" Jasmine asked  
"Did you run all the way here?" Cato asked  
"Not really… I ran in between. I must have forgotten about my ankle." Jasmine replied

He lightly rubbed her swollen ankle and although Jasmine felt a little awkward, she couldn't deny the relief she was feeling, now that Cato was sitting next to her.

"So did you tell my mother you saw me?" Cato asked  
"No… I thought it might be best for me to find you first after what happened this morning…" Jasmine replied

Cato stopped rubbing her swollen ankle and looked at her, "So you came to find me out of guilt or is there something else?"

"I… I don't know…" Jasmine said

Cato put her leg down and said, "Go home."

He got up from the log and walked a few steps away from her just as she stood up.

"Wait! Aren't you coming back with me?" Jasmine asked

Cato didn't reply her but picked up his sword to continue his combat practice.

"Cato! Did you hear me? I didn't sneak out of my house in the middle of the night to come out here to just see if you're okay! You have to come back with me!" Jasmine said

He turned around and said, "Why do you care? It's not like I matter to you. So, go home. Forget about what happened this morning. Forget you came here to find me."

"Are you crazy?! I came out all the way here and this is what I get? Cato… I don't know why I care! I don't even know why I'm not leaving when you tell me to! I-"

As she was about to finish her sentence, Cato silenced her with a kiss on her lips that was filled with so much passion and longing. Not meeting with any resistance, Cato threw his sword to the ground and wrapped his arms around Jasmine, deepening the kiss.

After a few blissful minutes, Cato broke the kiss and Jasmine felt her legs become jelly. If it wasn't for Cato's hold around her waist, Jasmine might have fallen to the ground.

"So you came to find me because you care about me and have feelings for me." Cato said, "You can try to deny it but your reaction says otherwise."

Jasmine knew then that he was right. When Cato kissed her, she was taken by surprise but nothing in her fought his advances. If she didn't have any feelings for him, she would have pushed him away. Instead, she kissed him back, giving Cato all the permission he needed to deepen the kiss. Realizing that Cato still had his arm around her waist, she couldn't help but blush.

"I-I…" Was all Jasmine could say.

Cato looked into her eyes and said, "Just give me one chance. If I can't make you love me as much as I do you by the reaping, we can forget this ever happened and you won't see me again."

Looking into his eyes, Jasmine saw the warmth and love she saw this morning, when he confessed to her. Deep down in her heart, she knew that somehow or another, her sneaking out of the house and coming all the way to the woods to find Cato, was a sign that she had developed some feelings for him. Her father had always told her never to deny yourself happiness even when you don't think it's logically right.

Cato looked at Jasmine and she nodded, giving him the answer he wanted. He kissed her again before picking up his sword from the ground and keeping it back into the sheath he was carrying behind him. He held her hand as they both made their way out of the woods and back into District 2. As soon as their palms touched, Jasmine felt a familiarity and warmth that she remembered from when she was 5 years old. Thinking that it was nothing, she shook her head lightly to clear her thoughts as they entered District 2.

"It's going to be morning soon… You better go home. Your mum will be awake by then." Jasmine said  
"Yeah... I'll see you in a few hours." Cato said

Jasmine smiled as Cato leaned into kiss her on the lips before giving her a smile and turning around to walk back to his house. As soon as she saw Cato go back into his house, Jasmine couldn't help but smile to herself as she headed back into her house. When she got to her room, she sat down on her bed, and before she knew it, she fell back onto the pillows and fell asleep.


	5. We Met Before

The next morning, Jasmine woke up and washed up before getting dressed for the day. She walked down the stairs and into the kitchen to see her parents at the table.

"Morning sweetheart." Her father said

Her mother smiled and put some freshly scrambled eggs with toast onto her plate.

"So, Cato's back home now… His mother said he must have come in late last night after sword practice." Her mother said  
"That's good." Jasmine said, nibbling her toast.

Her father put away the newspaper and looked at her, "We know you went out last night."

Jasmine dropped her toast onto her plate and her mother chuckled.

"Don't worry… We're not going to meddle into your love life. Just be careful, okay?" Her father said

Jasmine bit her toast and her father smiled before kissing the top of her head and the side of her mother's cheek. He bid the two of them good-bye and left for work. Just as he opened the door, he saw Cato standing there, about to knock.

"Why, hello, Cato. Nice to see you're back. Come on in. I'm just about to leave for work." Her father said

Cato nodded and said, "Have a good day, Mr Lykerson."

Jasmine's father smiled and waved at his family before walking out the front door.

"Have you taken your breakfast, Cato?" Her mother asked  
"No, I haven't." Cato replied  
"Then come join us." Her mother said

Cato smiled and accepted her invitation by walking over to the table. He sat down opposite Jasmine, who started to blush a little, for now, her heart was beating fast. Since there was a new guest, her mother had to make a new batch of scrambled eggs.

When her mother turned to face the stove, Cato smiled at Jasmine and said, "Good morning."

Jasmine blushed, "Morning."

He reached over to touch her hand that was on the table, causing Jasmine to feel tingles when their hands came into contact. They held each other's hand on the table for a while until Jasmine's mother turned around and the two of them quickly removed their hands from the table. Her mother smiled and put the plate of freshly made scrambled eggs with toast and a cup of orange juice in front of Cato.

Her mother smiled, looking at the two of them before kissing the top of her daughter's head.

"I'm heading over to the bakery to help Mrs Miarack. Just put the dishes in the sink. I'll wash them when I come home." Her mother said

She walked over to the front door and before she opened it, she turned around and said, "You two be good."

Seeing her daughter blush, Jasmine's mother smiled and headed out the front door. Cato looked at Jasmine and smiled, getting a smile back from her too.

"What are you doing here?" Jasmine asked  
"I told you I'll see you in a few hours." Cato replied  
"Yeah… But I thought you meant outside at a later time… Did you sleep at all?" Jasmine said

Cato smirked, "Maybe."

Jasmine put down her fork and looked at Cato, "You know… I ought to be annoyed with your behavior especially when you always seem to be so confident and cocky. But… I'm finding it really hard to feel that way…"

Cato smiled and stood up from his chair to walk over to the other side of the table where Jasmine sat. He pulled the nearest chair and sat down directly opposite her.

"Maybe it's because you're starting to fall in love with me." Cato said

As soon as Cato said the word 'love', Jasmine felt her cheeks warm up. He chuckled slightly and leaned in to place a soft kiss on her lips. When his lips left hers, she could taste the orange juice that came from Cato; who drank the orange juice before he kissed her. She blinked trying to make sense of the situation that she was now in. Jasmine knew that the two of them barely knew each other or rather she barely knew Cato, yet she couldn't help but feel elevated each time he kissed her.

"So I'm right." Cato said

Jasmine snapped out of her self-induced trance to look at Cato who had a mischievous but gorgeous smile. He leaned in and just as Jasmine was expecting another kiss, he turned to face the table where he picked up the plates to put them in the sink. Jasmine opened her eyes to see Cato grinning. She blushed profusely as she stood up clumsily, bumping the table as she stood up. He turned away from the sink to look at her just as she tripped over her own foot. Cato rushed to her, just in time to prevent her from falling as he held onto her waist.

"You know, I didn't know you took it literally as well." Cato said

Jasmine blushed harder and Cato chuckled. His hand on her waist left its spot and found her hand.

"What are you doing?" Jasmine asked  
"Holding your hand. Now that the dishes are in the sink… We're going out on a date." Cato replied

"A d-date?" Jasmine said, "In public?"

Cato looked at her, "Why? Is there a problem?"

"N-No… It's just… Don't you have a lot of girls who are infatuated with you? There are so many girls out there who have a thing for you." Jasmine said  
"But there's only one girl who gets my attention." Cato said

Jasmine smiled shyly to herself and Cato smiled, "So… Shall we go for our first date or would you rather we go up to your room for our first date?"

She looked at Cato with a shocked look before saying, "First date."

Cato smirked and tugged her hand lightly as they walked across the living room towards the front door. He opened the door and just outside, people were walking about, busy as they always were in District 2. Holding Jasmine's hand proudly, Cato stepped out first while she followed behind. Some of the kids from their school were playing at the open space and as soon as they saw Cato and Jasmine together, they stopped what they were doing to look. Within a few seconds, Jasmine could almost hear their whispers as they huddled together to talk about the two of them. Although she wasn't one to take this kind of attention, she surprisingly took it well as she walked side by side with Cato.

"Where are we going?" Jasmine asked  
"Somewhere." Cato replied

Not asking anymore questions, they walked in comfortable silence to the woods outside of District 2. They practically hiked for about an hour until they finally reached their destination. They had climbed up a mountain and were now taking in the full view of District 2.

"Oh… Wow." Jasmine said, looking at the view of District 2 down below.

She turned to Cato, "This place is amazing! That's the whole view of District 2!"

Cato chuckled as he released the hold on her hand to hold her waist.

"You can stand closer to the edge if you want to. I've got you." Cato said

Jasmine moved a little closer to the edge, feeling safer with Cato holding her. But when she saw a loose rock fall, she quickly stepped back. Her body collided into Cato's and he took the opportunity to hold her close to him, with his chest against her back. He slipped his other hand around her waist and he rested his head on the top of her head; due to the height difference. Normally, Jasmine wouldn't even allow a boy to touch her much less hold her this way. But with Cato, she couldn't say no.

"You've always been the only person I wanted to bring up here. Every day after school, I'd always come up here and fantasize about the day I finally bring you up here with me." Cato said  
"How did you find this place?" Jasmine asked

Cato let her go and walked over to a large rock by the side. He sat down and gestured for her to come over. She did so and sat down next to him.

"I found this place the day after my first reaping. I was in a state of relief and fright after the reaping. So, I ran as fast as I could, away from the district square to try to forget about the event that just took place. I was in the woods when I saw this mountain. Since then, it's always been my spot." Cato said

Jasmine nodded, "Just like the swing my dad made for me. That used to be my spot too… Until the peacekeepers came to destroy it."

"You can use my spot now. Since we're together, I'd share it with you." Cato said

He looked at Jasmine, "If I get picked at the reaping, you can have this place to yourself."

"I might get picked too." Jasmine said

Cato laughed slightly, "I won't bet on it. You've been lucky for the past 4 years. And you'll continue to be lucky."

"What do you mean? Luck can run out." Jasmine said  
"Not if I constantly pray that you never get picked." Cato said

He managed a smile before looking out at the view of District 2. Jasmine turned to look at him, taking in his features as she finally got a chance to. She knew that she had undoubtedly fallen in love with the monstrous boy of District 2. As she continued to take in his looks, a vision of a similar looking boy at the age of 5 surfaced in her memory.

"Cato… Did we meet when we were 5 years old?" Jasmine asked

He turned to look at her and smiled, "At the market?"

Jasmine nodded, as the full memory came back to her. Her mother had forgotten about her after paying for the fruits at one of the stalls. She remembered standing there, looking up at everyone as they walked pass. It was not until a blonde boy, who was the same age as her, walked up to her and held her hand. Jasmine was scared and confused but the warmth in the boy's hand brought her comfort as he led her away from the stall to follow after his mother. They walked back to their house where Jasmine was finally reunited with her mother. She never did get his name but she knew that if she grew older, she wanted to find him. Little did she know, he was right in front of her the whole time.

"You're the boy who brought me back home." Jasmine said, softly.

Cato smiled and nodded, "Yeah."

"Is that why you've been watching me the whole time?" Jasmine asked  
"You could say that." Cato replied  
"Why didn't you just tell me you were him?" Jasmine said  
"If I did, things might turn out differently." Cato said

Cato looked back out at the view as Jasmine's hand covered his. He looked at his hand before looking at her.

"Things might have turned out the same too. But, I like this better." Jasmine said, shyly.

Cato smiled and turned his hand to hold Jasmine's hand in his.

"So you're finally admitting that you've fallen in love with me?" Cato said

Jasmine blushed as she said, "Yeah."

Cato grinned as he cupped her face before leaning into kiss her on the lips.


	6. Killer Instinct

After spending a few more minutes on top of the mountain, the two of them headed back down into the forest, hand in hand.

"Jasmine?"

She looked up and saw Clove looking at her and Cato before a smile crept onto her face.

"Clove…" Jasmine said

Clove pulled out her knife from the trunk of the tree before turning to face them.

"I'll see you later." Clove said

She smiled at Jasmine one more time before turning around to walk the path towards the exit of the forest.

Cato laughed softly as Jasmine turned to look at him.

"What's so funny?" Jasmine asked  
"Nothing. It's just you look as if someone caught you sneaking out of District 2." Cato replied  
"Clove doesn't know anything yet… So… I didn't know how to react." Jasmine said  
"It's quite the opposite, Jasmine. Clove knows quite a lot. In fact, she knows about my feelings towards you. She is in the academy after all and she's considered a friend of mine." Cato said  
"Really? But she never told me." Jasmine said  
"If she did, we wouldn't get to where we are now, would we?" Cato said

Jasmine shook her head and said, "If you carry on acting like that, I'm going to start disliking you."

Cato laughed and said, "That's going to be hard for you. Because you've fallen in love with me and I intend to keep it that way."

Jasmine looked at Cato and couldn't help but agree with what he said. She only knew that the more time she spent with him, the more in love she was with him.

The two of them were walking towards the exit of the forest, back to District 2 when a group of District 2 kids, at Cato's regular spot caused the two of them to stop.

"Well, well… If it isn't the great monstrous boy of District 2. Cato… I thought you'd be practicing for The Hunger Games. I didn't know you've gone all soft and you're even in a relationship with the Lykermans' daughter!"

"Shut up, Liam, or I'll rip your throat out." Cato said, gritting his teeth.

As Cato stood in front of Jasmine, the other kids standing with Liam suddenly stood back, leaving him out in the open.

Liam looked around him and realizing he's lost his back-ups, gulped before turning to look at Cato, who was much taller and bigger than him.

"I believe that if I do rip your throat out; none of them are going to tell on me. They'll just say a wild animal killed you." Cato said

Liam blinked in fright before blurting out, "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, Cato! Please don't hurt me!"

"I'll give you 3 seconds to leave this place before I do something I won't regret." Cato said

Liam nodded and gathered his things, ready to run when Cato grabbed onto his shoulder.

"If I hear anything concerning me or Jasmine spreading around in school, you're the first person I'll find." Cato said

Liam held onto his belongings tight as he nodded crazily. As soon as Cato let his shoulder go, Liam and his friends bolted out of Cato's spot towards the exit of the forest in record time.

Cato turned around to look at Jasmine, who seemed a little shocked at what just took place. Realizing he just turned into a bullying monster in front of her, he immediately regretted what he did.

"Jasmine… I'm so sorry… I shouldn't have done that in front of you. I.. I'm a monster." Cato said, "Just go home."

Not waiting for Jasmine to say anything at all, Cato turned around and walked towards the log where he sat down. She looked up just in time to see him sit down on the log and although she was a little frightened when he went crazy on Liam, she knew it wasn't who he really was. She knew that Cato wanted her to leave because he thought she'd feel repulsed by him. But, in truth, she didn't feel that way. She walked over to the log and sat down next to Cato.

"I'm not going anywhere." Jasmine said

Cato looked up at her and she merely touched the side of his face as she continued, "You said I've fallen in love with you and you intend to keep it that way, right?"

"But, I'm a monster. Look at what I did just now. I just freaked a kid out of his mind." Cato said  
"It isn't your fault. You were trained by the Capitol to be like this. You're not a monster." Jasmine said

Cato took Jasmine's hand from his face and held it, "I'm sorry… Whenever I get angry, this happens."

"To tell you the truth… I've seen Clove act this way before. You were just a male version of her." Jasmine said

Cato laughed softly, "You don't mind?"

"Of course not. So long as you try to do it when I'm not around?" Jasmine said

Cato smiled, "I'll try."

Jasmine smiled back and smoothened out the crease on her skirt.

"I love you." Cato said, looking at her.

Jasmine looked back at him and without even thinking, she said, "I love you too."

Cato smiled widely as he leaned into kiss her deeply. For once, the only thing that the two of them could think of was the happiness that they were experiencing now. The Reaping might be near but the temporary bliss that they found in each other was all that mattered for now.


	7. Argument In The Marketplace

As The Reaping grew near, many of the children from the academy started doubling their sessions to ensure that they'd be in tip top shape should the time come for them to enter The Hunger Games.

Jasmine was helping her mom to get the ingredients for dinner that night when they bumped into Mrs Akerbyrnes.

Jasmine's mother hated Mrs Akerbyrnes. Ever since her daughter got into the academy, she has been bragging about it and making Jasmine out to be a worthless daughter. She knew that wasn't the case and getting into the academy wasn't what they'd want to do either.

"Oh, Mrs Lykerson! How nice to see you here!" She said

Jasmine looked at her mother, who pursed her lips and gave a tight smile.

Mrs Akerbyrnes looked at Jasmine and said, "Well, hello, Jasmine. Figured you would be here with your mother. Unlike the other children your age who are at the academy training."

"Hi Mrs Akerbyrnes." Jasmine said

She gave Jasmine a fake smile before turning to her mother, "Jazline, I seriously don't know why you won't send Jasmine to the academy. It's still not too late for her to learn a few skills… But, if she gets picked to enter The Hunger Games… She might not exactly make it through the first night…"

Jasmine looked at her mother, who now put the piece of carrot down nicely before turning to face Mrs Akerbyrnes.

"Dannia, how nice of you to advertise on behalf of the academy again. I know my daughter should be learning to fight should she get picked but let's face it, your daughter's not very smart so she obviously needs to keep herself equipped with combat skills." Jazline said

Jasmine held her mouth close a little tighter to prevent herself from smiling at her mother's rebuttal.

"You do know that smarts wins over combat right? Just look at the games that other districts won. Not everyone has to be from the academy, Dannia. Unless they are named Delilah." Jazline said

Jasmine looked at Mrs Akerbyrnes who was trying to remain unfazed by what her mother just said and she could see the look of anger in her eyes.

"Well. At least my daughter can be considered normal unlike yours! Most people think that you dropped her on her head when you first got her!" Dannia said  
"What?! What did you just say?! I dare you to repeat that again, you disgusting, plastic witch!" Jazline exclaimed

Dannia stepped back, slightly surprised at the insult she had just gotten. Jasmine looked at her mother, who had her hand to her mouth in surprise. Dannia snarled before lunging at Jazline, pulling her hair out from her ponytail.

Neither Jasmine or her mother had time to react just as Dannia tried to grab another handful of Jazline's hair.

"How dare you call me a witch?!" Dannia screamed

She lunged at Jazline again, with her nails, ready to attack when Jasmine stepped in front of her mother as a shield. Dannia's nails connected with Jasmine's right cheek, leaving a pretty bad scratch in its place.

"Jasmine!"

Dannia stepped back in confusion as she finally realized what she had done. She left a three red slashes on Jasmine's face instead of Jazline.

"I-I'm sorry, Jasmine… I didn't mean to…" Dannia said

Jasmine's mother spun her around to face her before lightly touching her injured right cheek.

"Silly girl! Look what she did to you!" Jazline said  
"I'm fine, mom." Jasmine said

She smiled at her mother who turned her worried frown into a small smile.

"What happened here?"

They turned around to see two peacekeepers standing next to Dannia, awaiting an answer from either of them. And, lucky for them, one of the peacekeeper was someone they knew.

"Anyone care to explain what happened here?" The female peacekeeper said

The male peacekeeper looked at Jasmine and Jazline and said, "What happened here, Jazline?"

She looked at Dannia for a split second before looking at the male peacekeeper.

"It's nothing, Perry. Jasmine just had a slip and scratched herself." Jazline said

Perry looked at Jasmine and said, "Is that what happened, Jasmine? That's a pretty bad scratch there. And we heard screaming."

"Yup. Mrs Akerbyrnes was just yelling to ask me to be careful. Nothing happened…" Jasmine replied

Perry looked at the two of them and despite him not buying their story, he merely nodded.

"Just be careful, Jas." Perry said  
"I will." Jasmine replied

He looked at Dannia and said, "That's a nice thing you did for them."

Dannia blinked a few times before saying, "Y-Yeah… I-I guess it is…"

"Alright. Nothing to see here now. Let's go." Perry said

Once the peacekeepers left, Dannia turned to the two of them.

"T-Thank you for covering up for me." Dannia said, "And I'm really sorry for scratching you, Jasmine…"

Jasmine gave Mrs Akerbyrnes a small smile before looking at her mother, expecting her to come up with a snide remark, that would probably be something her mother will gloat about for weeks. Instead, Jazline merely held her daughter's hand and led her away from Dannia as they walked towards another stall.


	8. Promises

Jazline gave up shopping after what had happened at the marketplace. As soon as the peacekeepers left, she brought her daughter straight home to tend to the scratches on her face.

Jasmine winced as her mother cleaned her wounds with some warm water.

She stopped and said, "Hold still. You need to get the wound cleaned."

Not wanting her mother to repeat herself, she sat up straight and tried not to wince. After a few more dabs, Jazline put the cloth aside and lifted Jasmine's chin to examine the damage.

"Is it bad?" Jasmine asked  
"No… But it could be." Jazline replied

She moved her hand away from her daughter's chin and rested it on top of Jasmine's clasped hands.

"Why did you stand between me and that witch?" Jazline said  
"You're my mother. I didn't want you to get hurt." Jasmine said

Jazline gave her daughter a smile as she lightly touched the side of Jasmine's face.

"I understand. But you got yourself hurt in the process." Jazline said, "You're my daughter. I should be the one who protects you."

"But you do that everyday." Jasmine said, "Let me have this one, okay?"

Jazline looked at Jasmine and nodded with a smile. Despite the constant competition between parents in the District, she knew that she already won hands down with a sensible daughter.

The one quality that the academy couldn't teach.

* * *

Cato had just finished his training at the academy and was on his way to Jasmine's house when he was stopped by one of the teachers.

"Cato."  
"Mr Nicaberry."

The teacher gave him a nod and said, "Have you entered your name for The Hunger Games?"

"Yes, sir." Cato said  
"Good. We're counting on you to enter on behalf of the District this year." Mr Nicaberry said

Cato nodded, "So I've heard, sir."

"We were all starting to worry that you might have gone soft and wasted all the grooming you've been going through." Mr Nicaberry said

Cato looked at his teacher with a puzzled look.

"It's come to my attention that you're dating the Lykersons' daughter. And you know she is the only girl who hasn't enrolled in the academy even when she is of age, right?" Mr Nicaberry said

Cato held in his growing annoyance for his teacher as he said, "I am well aware of that, sir."

"She'll be an embarrassment if she gets picked." Mr Nicaberry said, "The first ever District 2 competitor that dies within the first 10 minutes of the Games."

Not able to hold his anger in anymore, Cato glared at his teacher.

"With all due respect, sir. The person you're talking about is my girlfriend. I suggest you keep your opinions to yourself before I do something I won't regret." Cato said

His hands moved to his sheath which held his sword and said, "You're just a teacher who works with the weak students here. I'm the top student at the academy. Do you think the academy will suspect anything?"

Mr Nicaberry gulped visibly and stepped back from Cato, suddenly worried for his life.

"Uh… Right. Well… I'll be careful with my words." Mr Nicaberry said, "C-Carry on, Cato. I-I'll see you tomorrow."

Cato merely looked at Mr Nicaberry cooly in response. The teacher took that as his cue and quickly left Cato's sight, for fear that he might lose a part of his body should he stay any longer.

* * *

Jasmine was on her way up to her room when there was a knock on the door. Her mother hurried over to the door and opened it while Jasmine waited to see who it was.

Her mother opened the door and smiled, "Hey, Cato."

He smiled, "Good afternoon, Mrs Lykerson. Is Jasmine here?"

"Yes, she is." Jazline said

Jasmine walked over to her mother and stood by her side, "Hey."

Cato smiled seeing Jasmine but the smile soon left his face when he spotted the injury. Seeing Cato's sudden change, she knew that he was getting angry.

She looked at her mother, "I'm going to head out with Cato for a while, okay?"

Jazline nodded, "Sure."

She smiled at her mother before walking out the door and pulling Cato's hand along as she continued towards the path towards the lake.

When they arrived, she let Cato's hand go and turned to face him.

"What happened to your face?" Cato asked, curling his fist into a ball.

Jasmine sighed and sat down on a rock, "There was a fight at the market today between my mother and Mrs Akerbyrnes."

"Delilah Akerbyrnes' mother?" Cato said  
"Yup. She was trying to get my mother riled up." Jasmine said  
"How did you get hurt then?" Cato asked  
"Well… My mother said something mean about Delilah and Mrs Akerbyrnes got upset. This was intended for my mother." Jasmine replied

Cato angrily kicked a pebble and Jasmine reached over to touch his hand.

"I know you're angry but it was just an accident." Jasmine said, "I'm sure Mrs Akerbyrnes didn't mean it."

Cato didn't answer her as he stared into the lake, trying to suppress his growing anger. Not hearing any reply from Cato, she lightly tugged his hand.

"Please promise me that you won't do anything to Delilah, okay?" Jasmine said

Cato softened his expression and nodded, even though he was sure it was going to be difficult for him to keep his promise.


	9. Accidents Happen

Two days later, a test had been scheduled at the academy. This tests was made to look like that of the Hunger Games and would test each students' strength, endurance, skill and wit. Each student is delegated to either a black flag team or a gold flag team. The highest scorers of this test, gets to be in the running for the student of the year; even though it was more than likely to be Cato's year again.

* * *

Cato was getting ready for the test along with the other students when Clove came up to him.

"Hey." Clove said, "You ready for the test?"

Cato merely nodded as he continued stretching. Clove stretched her arms and wasn't looking at anything in particular when she spotted Delilah Akerbyrnes.

"Well, well, well…" Clove said, "Looks like Akerbyrnes is taking part in the test this time."

Once Cato heard that name, he stopped stretching to look at Delilah. Standing there with her blond hair in a ponytail and dressed in the academy's uniform was Delilah, stretching and laughing with her friends.

"Look at her laughing." Clove said, "If it weren't for her stupid mother, Jasmine have a scratch on her face."

Cato started to feel anger rising within him when he remembered the moment he spotted the injury on Jasmine's face. His fists slowly turned into a ball and tightened. Clove could feel Cato's gaze on Delilah slowly turning into one of a lion targeting its prey.

She grinned, "Whatever you're thinking, I want in on it."

Cato looked at Clove, "Are you sure?"

"Of course I am." Clove said, "Akerbyrnes should have a taste of what its like to be in the real Hunger Games, shouldn't she?"

Cato smiled and looked back at Delilah just as the head of the academy made the announcement for the test to begin.

* * *

Jasmine was getting ready to head to the academy to support Cato for his test. Her mother had agreed to accompany her even though she was a little reluctant at first.

"Mom… Are you ready yet?" Jasmine asked  
"Yes, yes… I'm ready now." Jazline replied

Jasmine looked at her mother and laughed as she spotted the basket in her hands.

"Did you make snacks?" Jasmine asked

Her mother smiled, "Well, I had to. Your best friend and your boyfriend are both going to feel hungry after the test."

Jasmine merely chuckled as she headed out the door with her mother following behind. Just as she was about to continue walking, her mother held onto her hand. Jasmine turned around and her mother lightly cupped her face.

"Mom… It's healed." Jasmine said

"I know, I know…" Jazline said, "I just want to make sure it's not going to leave a scar."

Jasmine laughed a little, "It's just her nails…"

Her mother looked at her, "It could still leave a scar."

Jasmine kept quiet and watched as her mother lightly ran her the side of her fingers across her cheek.

"Okay." Jazline said, "You're all good."

She picked up the basket that she put on the ground and held her daughter's hand, "Let's go."

* * *

Jasmine and Jazline both arrived at the academy, about 20 minutes after the test began. They were hurrying into the spectators' area when Jasmine stopped in her tracks. Her mother stopped next to her and looked at where her daughter was looking.

Coming out from the arena with a stretcher were the medics along with a very frightened and worried Mrs Akerbyrnes. Jasmine squinted and was shocked to see a motionless Delilah in the stretcher.

Jasmine covered her mouth in horror and Jazline hurriedly pulled her daughter away. She didn't know if Delilah was merely unconscious or worse but she didn't want to have her daughter continue watching the scene unfold.

They arrived at the spectators' area just as they were replaying what happened earlier.

Delilah was wearing a black flag around her waist and running through a forest setting when all of a sudden, she turned around to see Clove and Cato behind her. They were both wearing golden flags around their waist. When she saw the two of them, Delilah registered fright on her face. She kept running with her head turning every few seconds. A loud horn sounded and before she knew it, Cato and Clove both disappeared. Just as she turned her head back to look in front, a robotic mutt appeared and using it's huge paw, swiped Delilah off her feet. She landed on the right side of the setting motionless, instantly getting disqualified.

Jasmine sat down on the benches next to her mother, slightly horrified by what she just saw. She didn't want to think that Cato and Clove had something to do with it but seeing what happened earlier, she wasn't sure what to believe.

She looked at her mother, who was looking at her with concern.

"Are you okay?" Her mother asked

Jasmine shook her head, "I'm not sure…"

"This is a test, honey… Things happen." Her mother said, "I'm sure Delilah's fine."

"I hope so…" Jasmine said  
"But you're thinking about something else." Jazline said

She looked at her mother, "What if Cato and Clove had something to do with this?"

"With what happened to Delilah?" Jazline asked

Jasmine nodded.

"It's not possible." Jazline said, "This is a test that is much like the real Hunger Games setting. Whatever happens during the test would happen in the Hunger Games. Cato and Clove wouldn't be able to alter anything."

"I know." Jasmine said, "But I keep thinking that Cato and Clove frightened Delilah into that area."

Jazline pat her daughter's hand, "Don't think the worse. It's a test and it's like a competition. Even if they did frighten Delilah, it's all fair."

Jasmine sighed and looked ahead of her as she watched her best friend, Clove, tackle a male black flag wearer to the ground while Cato stood over a slightly injured boy, holding a black flag in his hand.

Seeing two of the people who matter to her, she knew that the only way she could find out the truth was to wait for the test to be over.


End file.
